Nail tongs



NAIL TONGS Filed Nov. '25, 1929 INVENTCR. Donald R ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 30, y 1930 DNALD R. WILSON, OF PESHASTIN, WASHINGTON NAIL TONGS Application med 'Nwemberv 25,v 1929. serial No. 409,686.

Y The present invention relates to an improved article handling device-and the primary object of the invention is to provide a tool. orL device of this character adapted to 5 facilitate the handling of nails, staples, tacks, etc.',vwithout injury to the hand of a person handlingy the articles.

,A further object of the invention is to providev an improved construction for nail tongs 1o which will permit ready and easy removal of nailsand'the like from kegs, bins and other containers and which device may be operated by one hand, thus leaving the other hand oi the operator free to hold ka receptacle Jfor receiving the nails removed by the tongs.

- A further object resides in the arrangement whereby thefcompanion'pair of pivotall'y connected members are normally urged to a spread position, with" means for limiting the zoispreading movement of the members beyond la point permitting ready grasping of the handle portions by one hand of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be very economically constructed from a suitable gauge of'bar metal and one wherein the nail engaging portions are of such lor-mation as to permit ready and easy grasping of the nails' to be handled. 30 @ther objects and advantages of the inven- Y tion will be apparent during the course of the lollowingdetailed description7 taken in connection with. the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

proved tongs shown in their normal spread position.

Figure 2 is aside' elevation showing the tongs contracted.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section thru the tongs on line 3--3 of. Figure l.

Iii-the drawing,A and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parte, the improved tongs include a pair of lever members 5 and 6 pivotally connected intermediate their ends by means of a hinge member 7, the lever members 5 and 6 being normally spring urged to a spread position 50 by the spring means 8. The lever members Figure 1 is la perspective view of the im- V5 and 6 are of substantially like formation and may be constructed from a suitable gauge oit metal rod preferably of cylindrical formation. i y n The member 5 is formed with a bail-like hand grip or handle portion forming Vparallel side arms connected at their upper ends by the cross piece 11. The lower end of each side arm 10 is coiled or looped into a closed eye 12. These coils or eyes 12 are disposed in axial alignment to one side of the major plane of the handle portion. From the coils or eyes 12 the bar is extended to provide a claw portion embodying arms 14 extending. in substantial alignment with the respective side arms 10. Each arm 11i adjacent its lower end is bowed outwardly and then inwardly providing a hooked portion 15 at the lower end of each arm 14;. The companion lever member 6 is formed with a bail-like hand grip or handle portion embodying parallel side arms connected at their upper ends by a cross piece 21. Formed at thelower end of each side arm 20 is a loop or coil providing closed eyes 22 which are disposed inwardly of the eyes 12 in axial alignment therewith. VFrom the coils or eyes 22'the bar is extended providing arms 24 which extend in substantial alignment with their companion arms 20. These arms 2A as will be observed have a very slight outward bow and at their lower ends are inturned to form hooked portions 25 which are directed toward the hook portions 15.

The coils 12 and 22 of the members 5 and 6 respectively are oppositely coiled' which causes the arms ot the claw portions yto cross one another as clearly shown in Figure 2, while the rside armsof the handle portions are not crossed and extend upwardly at the outer sides of the coils.

The hinge member 7 is in the form of a hinge pin having its cylindrical shank portion 26 extended thru the eyes 12 and 22.

One end of the rshank 26 is provided with an enlargement or head 27 for engaging one of the eyes`12, while the opposite end of theshank portion is looped about the convolution of the companion eye 1 2 and ex- CJI `into the nails to lbe' handled.

four separate pieces.

tended yinwardly between the companion arms 14 and 24'piovidinga stop 28 for limiting spreading movement of the lever members. As will be observed in Figures 1. and 2 the stop 28 projects inwardly between the companion arms 14 and 24 above the point at which the arms cross. rlhis looped end or" the hinge pin about the eyey 'l2 co-acts with the head 27 for preventing longitudinal shifting ott the hinge member Ain .either vdi-` rection.

The spring means 8 is in the iorm ol a coil spring encircling the shank 26 between theV eyes 22, with one end Vof thejcoil springentended downwardly and hooked about one of the arms 24 as lat 82, and withthe opposite endl oithe spring extended' downwardly and' looped about an arm 14 of the companion ylever (member asl at "34." The action ot the Vsprii'ig 8 is to normallyurg'e the yclaw portions of the device to a spread position'rlimitedi by means of the stop 28.- This limited spreading. move- 'nient of the lever members 'also'prevents spreading of the handle portions `beyond an extent permitting an: operatorfto readily grasp the lhand portions withone hand for closing of the tongs'. In the dotted lline showingv of the tongs'in Figiire'2 is shown the manner in which ,the lever members 5 and G are spread by the spring 8 and limited in their spreading" movement by the lstop 2S`eXtended between one pair of crossed arms 14 and 24.

By so having the arms 24 of the one lever member 6 bowed 'to avery slight extent permits of the arms 24 being. more easily V:iorced It will be noted that the device is constructed of but Fromtlie foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel and improved construction for nail tongs has been provided embodying av novel arrangement whereby the tongs are normally held open forV ready gripping action upon .the nails. It will also be' apparent that a novel arrangement has been provided wherein the operator need use but one hand in removing nails and theV likerfrom suitable containersy and which device operates automatically for dropping these nails upon release of the operators grip upon the handle portions of the device.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described,

vwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the, scope of the following claims.

lI claim: Y

1. A device of the class described comprising a pair of U-shaped levermeinbers, a hinge member pivotally connecting the lever membersV intermediate their ends to provide a pair of co-actinghandle portionsyand arpair of-v co-acting claw portions arranged respectively each lever member each being coiledintermediate its ends providing closed hinge eyes, a hinge pin extending thru the eyes for pivotally connecting the lever members intermediate :their ends and: providing handle portions above the eyes and claw portions below the eyes, lsaid arms of the claw portions of the levers beingl crossed in spaced relation below the hinge eyes, spring means normally urging the lever membersto a spready position, and a stop extension at one end lof the hinge pin and bent inwardly above the crossing point of the Aclaw arms for limiting spreading movement of the lever members.

. 3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of Vlever'members each of one piece construction and each formed with `a baillike handle portion and bowed lclaw portions connected by a loop with the handle por.-

tions, a hinge pin extended thru the loops piv .95

yotally connecting the lever' members with the bowed claw portions thereof'incrossed relation, a coil spring disposed about the hingepin and having the ends thereof engageable one with each levermember for norymally nrgmgthelever members to a spread position, and a ystopV extension formed at'one endet the hinge pin to extend between one pair4 of co-acting cla-w portions for. limiting Vspreading movement of the lever members.`

4. A device of the class described comprising a pair of lever members each including a handle portion embodying side arms and bowed claw arms joined by a loop with the lower ends of the side arms, a vhinge pin eX- tending thru the loops for pivotally connecting the lever members kwith the'claw arms crossed at a location spaced below the loops, said pin having a head formed at .one end and having its opposite endlooped and eX- tended between one pair of co-acting claw arms above the crossing point of the arms, and a coil spring encircling the hinge-pin and connected with the claw arms for n-oimally urging the lever members to a spread position. Y

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of U-shaped 'lever membersY each embodying a pair of side arms coiled into an eye intermediate their ends to form handle portions and claw arms, a hinge p'in'extending thru the eyes iorI pivotally connecting the members, means normally urging the lever members to a spread'v position, and stop means provided on thehinge pinY for limit-y DONALD R. f WILSON. 

